Volunteering & Community Service

Practical Solution

The “How To”

Opportunities to volunteer can be found at community centers, boys & girls clubs, pet shelters, community cleanup initiatives, mentoring programs, emergency and disaster situations, and more. Through volunteering, people forge friendships, connect with other organizations, and help achieve the organizations' missions to make our region a better place. Volunteering may also connect people to employment opportunities. You can also add community service experience onto your resume. Employers and colleges take notice of your volunteering experience.

Prospective volunteers can begin by finding an organization that meets their interests and a task that fits their skill level. It is also helpful to consider what you want to gain from this opportunity: Are you promoting philanthropy, is this a one-time project, or would like you to foster an ongoing relationship with an organization? You can start by checking out these sustainable volunteering opportunities collected as part of the OneSTL planning process. If you explore Saint Louis on bike or use the greenways and trails, volunteering for Great Rivers Greenway and Trailnet may interest you. Volunteering at Earth Dance or Seed STL's volunteer opportunities can teach you about gardening. Volunteer Match can be a source of additional volunteer opportunities in your area.

Finding people to volunteer alongside makes these efforts much more rewarding. Volunteer with friends, a neighborhood association, school classes, or co-workers. Companies take pride in their employees completing hours of community service. Students learn the importance of helping others, and these opportunities become life lessons. Residents empower their communities by ensuring their streets are well taken care of. Larger volunteer groups may require a volunteer coordinator. These coordinators become liaisons between the service sites and the group of volunteers. Volunteer coordinators should know what results they want to achieve for the organization and their volunteers. After volunteering, stay in touch with your group. Ask for feedback on how they think they day went, what did they learn, and what would they like to see more of. Hopefully the volunteer experience fosters action to do more.

Paid Positions

Programs such as Americorps, Teach For America, Food Corps, and Jesuit Volunteer Corps provide paid positions or stipends for a variety of service positions. People may teach in high-need public schools or work directly within our most impoverished communities.

Dollars & Cents

Volunteering requires donating time instead of money. In most cases, the organization you are volunteering for will provide your group of volunteers with the tools necessary to complete projects. If you do have costs, they depend on what types of programs interest you. Cost may include:

• Coordinating some type of breakfast, lunch, or dinner for the volunteers.
• Organizing a bus for transportation.
• Materials if your task involves building or painting.